Letters to the Editors

Rooting for Dilfer: He is a winner

Unlike many Bucs fans, I hope Dilfer leads the Ravens to a resounding win in Super Bowl XXXV because he seems like a genuinely good guy. It's so easy to hate a team from New York and, most of all, a Ravens win would focus more heat on Tony Dungy and some of his choices.

Like many Bucs fans, I'm sick of excuses. The main difference between the Ravens and the Bucs is an offense that works and a quarterback who is now reaping the rewards of experience and maturity.-- Matt Schmidt, Tampa

It would be nice to say that Baltimore coach Brian Billick noticed qualities Tony Dungy had overlooked when he chose Dilfer to lead the Ravens to the promised land, but that isn't true, either. When the Ravens signed Dilfer over the off-season, it was to back up their quarterback of choice, Tony Banks. Only after Baltimore's offense became nonexistent -- the Ravens played five games in the month of October without scoring a touchdown -- did Billick bench Banks and turn to the much-maligned Dilfer.

"All Trent has done is win 10 straight games and get us into the Super Bowl," Billick said after the Ravens had bullied their way past the Raiders. "He's the starting quarterback on the AFC Championship team and he's going to the Super Bowl. That puts him at the top of anybody's list."-- George Kimball, Boston Herald